Treadmill exercise devices are an integral part of the habitual, aerobic workouts of a culture focused on health and fitness. In the wake of the popularity of treadmill exercise devices, however, certain concerns arise as to the safe and proper use of treadmill exercise devices. In this regard, it is particularly desirable to prevent a treadmill exercise device from being inadvertently left operating after a user has left the device. This is desirable to conserve energy and also to prevent possible risk of someone getting injured by the moving parts of a treadmill exercise device left running.
A treadmill exercise device that has been left running by a user wastes energy. Especially in a home setting if the user is called away from the treadmill exercise device and forgets that the treadmill exercise device is running, the treadmill exercise device can consume energy for extended durations. In a gymnasium or fitness center, a plurality of treadmill exercise devices if left running when not in use would consume substantial energy.